Hinged wooden rectangular surgical case with brass banding along edges and across top of lid (a) with lift out drawer (b) both lined with purple velvet and two removable covers (c,d); contains two Liston (e,g) and one Catling (f) amputating knives of varying sizes; set of minor operating knives (h…
Hinged wooden rectangular surgical case with brass banding along edges and across top of lid (a) with lift out drawer (b) both lined with purple velvet and two removable covers (c,d); contains two Liston (e,g) and one Catling (f) amputating knives of varying sizes; set of minor operating knives (h-k) along with two other scalpels (l,m); clear plastic spool of braided silk and another spool with no thread (n,o); curved surgical needles of varying sizes (p-r) and two hooked needles of different sizes (s,t); a needle holder (u); hand saw (v) with narrow (w) and wide (x) saw blades; hey saw (y); steel trephine handle (z); steel trephine (aa); black brush (bb); narrow retractor all metal one piece (cc); angled surgical scalpel (dd); curved director / dilator (ee); there are pieces missing; knives and scalpels with incised cross-hatched ebony handles.
Number Of Parts
31
Part Names
a - wood case: Length 41.0 cm x Width 16.5 cm x Depth 8.7 cm
b - lift out drawer: Length 38.5 cm x Width 13.8 cm x Depth 2.2 cm
c - large removable cover: Length 38.6 cm x Width 13.9 cm x Depth 0.5 cm
d - removable cover: Length 5.2 cm x Width 3.9 cm x Depth 0.4 cm
e - surgical knife Liston 8 3/4”: Length 36.1 cm x Width 1.9 cm x Depth 1.4 cm
f - surgical bistory Catling 7”: Length 35.4 cm x Width 1.9 cm x Depth 1.9 cm
g - surgical knife Liston 6”: Length 28.5 cm x Width 1.9 cm x Depth 1.8 cm
h - short surgical scalpel: Length 16.3 cm x Width 1.7 cm x Depth 0.6 cm
i - short surgical scalpel J. J. TEUFEL: Length 16.5 cm x Width 1.7 cm x Depth 0.6 cm
j - short surgical scalpel: Length 16.5 cm x Width 1.2 cm x Depth 0.6 cm
k - short surgical scalpel: Length 15.6 cm x Width 1.6 cm x Depth 0.6 cm
l - short surgical scalpel with worn handle: Length 16.2 cm x Width 1.2 cm x Depth 0.6 cm
m - scalpel metal one piece: Length 16.8 cm x Width 0.9 cm x Depth 0.4 cm
n - spool of braided silk: Length 2.4 cm x Diameter 1.4 cm
o - spool: Length 2.5 cm x Diameter 1.3 cm
p - curved surgical needle: Length 7.5 cm x Width 0.1 cm x Depth 0.1 cm
q - curved surgical needle: Length 5.0 cm x Width 0.1 cm x Depth 0.1 cm
r - curved surgical needle: Length 4.2 cm x Width 0.1 cm x Depth 0.1 cm
s - hooked surgical needle: Length 5.4 cm x Width 0.2 cm x Depth 0.1 cm
t - hooked surgical needle: Length 4.1 cm x Width 0.1 cm x Depth 0.1 cm
u - needle holder: Length 11.5 cm x Width 2.0 cm x Depth 1.0 cm
v - hand saw: Length 36.5 cm x Width 9.9 cm x Depth 2.2 cm
w - narrow saw blade: Length 26.2 cm x Width 1.1 cm x Depth 0.1 cm
x - wide saw blade: Length 26.2 cm x Width 2.0 cm x Depth 0.1 cm
y - hey saw: Length 17.3 cm x Width 4.8 cm x Depth 1.0 cm
z - trephine handle: Length 9.7 cm x Width 1.9 cm x Depth 2.0 cm
aa - trephine: Length 10.5 cm x Width 1.9 cm x Depth 1.9 cm
bb - brush: Length 9.6 cm x Width 1.8 cm x Depth 0.9 cm
cc - narrow retractor all metal one piece: Length 13.3 cm x Width 1.0 cm x Depth 0.5 cm
dd - angled surgical scalpel: Length 20.2 cm x Width 0.9 cm x Depth 0.6 cm
ee - curved director/ dilator: Length 24.6 cm x Width 0.5 cm x Depth 0.5 cm
Provenance
Originally owned by Dr. Peter William Reid (Reed) of Madoc, Ontario. Donated by great grandson.
Stamped on neck of (e- f): "KUHLMANN"; (g-h): "A. KUHLMANN"; (i): "J. J. TEUFEL"; (j-l): "A. KUHLMANN"; (m); "GERMANY"; (u): "TIEMANN & CO"; (z): "H. McC. & D. // CHICAGO"; (dd): "CTRUAX & CO"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-E1-7
Temporary Location
For u, z-aa only: On exhibit “The Century: Medical Innovations of the 1800s” at Museum of Health Care, 25 June 2017.
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Condition Remarks
Minor lifting of double decorative brass wire; discolourization of velvet to a light brown; lid warped does not fully close
Copy Type
original
Reference Types
Internet
Reference Comments
Dr. William Standish Reed.
Civil War issue U. S. Army Hospital Department set by Geo. Tiemann. American Civil War Surgical Antiques.
Research Facts
Dr. Peter William Reid (1827 - 1898) was born in Stirling Ontario and was an Empire Loyalist. Dr. Reid moved to the United States and due to a clerical error the spelling of his last name was changed to Reed.
The layout and instruments would indicate use as a field set as opposed to hospital use. Field sets are not as extensive as hospital sets and would have been used for initial treatment of war wounds as well as for treatment of day-to-day surgical problems.
The case has indentations for approximately 37 tools, but there is only 19 remaining instruments that fit into their designated areas. Three instruments do not appear to have designated spots within the case.